Work centering and holding machine



' F. MQRGAN May 23, 1939.

28, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

May 23, 1939. F. MORGAN WORK CENTERING AND HOLDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 28, 1937 QQN fiarzk Marya)? INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

May 23, 1939. MORGAN 2,159,288

WORK CENTERING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA NE Original Filed July 28, 1937 Sheets-Sheet 3 v kl INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

May 23, 1939. MORGAN 2,159,288

WORK CENTERING AND HOLDING MACHINE Original Filed July 28, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Divided and this application July 18,

1938, Serial N0. 219,901

10 Claims.

Rotatable drill pipe is made up of sections usually from 40 to 44 feet in length, eight inches or so in diameter, and of great weight, one end of each pipe section having a flared box, into which the pin of an adjoining pipe section is adapted to be threaded, the pipe sections being provided with transverse shoulders (varying in width as desired), the threads of the pin and of the box coming to a jam at the time the shoulders arrive at engagement. In operation, the drill pipe (composed of many sections) is rotated, usually at moderately high speed, liquid being pumped in at the top of the drill pipe and the liquid escaping at the bottom, through outlets in the drill-proper, the liquid rising between the drill pipe and the wall of the well.

When the drill becomes dull, or ceases to cut, for that reason or some other, the drill pipe is widthdrawn and unjointed, a new hit is put on,

the drill pipe is returned to the well-hole, and drilling is resumed. The repeated unjoining and rejoining of the sections of the drill pipe, in addition to vibration which takes place in the well, wears the joints. Owing to the diameter at the joints, the joints are subjected to heavy wear, and the joint-forming elements become grooved, flattened or greatly worn. Hardening often takes place along the entire face of the joint-shoulder or along a part only of the shoulder, or sometimes in spots, the degree of hardness being such that no lathe-cutter can work upon them, unless they are annealed.

A constant wearing of the threads of the pin and of the box takes place, and since there may be little or no wear on the shoulders, the threads fail to make a perfect fit and all the strain is thrown on the shoulders, with a strong tendency to draw the threads.

Experience has taught that by dressing back the shoulders and by using a master jig or gauge to position the work properly for dressing, the life of the drill joint is practically doubled. The shoulders must be in planes exactly at right angles to the axis of the pipesection. Owing to conditions arising out of wear, and to the warped or crooked condition of the pipe section, chucking in a lathe is not practical, and is almost an impossibility.

In view of the foregoing, two problems are presented; the shoulders must be dressed properly; and the work must be positioned and held properly and conveniently whilst the dressing operation is being carried out. My copending application Serial No. 156,247, filed July 28, 1937,

shows means for accomplishing both of the ends last-above referred to; but inasmuch as it has been ruled that the work-dressing and workholding instrumentalities which I have invented are divisibly-distinct inventions, I am hereby dividing my aforesaid application, the present disclosure being confined to the work-holding and work-positioning mechanism.

Recalling that the pipe sections are from 40 to 44 feet long, eight inches or thereabout in diameter, and of great weight, that there are many of them, that they cannot be centered properly on a lathe, and that there are no means for centering and positioning them at the well or place of use, it has been necessary to haul them a long distance heretofore, with corresponding expense, and with the high probability that, when the shop is reached, no adequate work-positioning device will be available. It is desirable, therefore, to be able to position and hold the work on the job, and not only to position and hold the work on the job but, as well, to position and hold it properly there. Those results are accomplished by the device forming the subject-matter of this application.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally, and to enhance the utility of, devices of the type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in front elevation, a tool constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, the view showing the pin end of the pipe in place;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section similar to Fig. 3 but showing the box end of the pipe in place;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the chuck-supporting body;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a modified means for holding the jig on the rotatable member;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating the means whereby the slide is mounted;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the mounting of the chuck carrier on the chuck-supporting body;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the chuck carrier and the chuck;

Fig. 10 is an elevation wherein the chuck carrier is viewed edgewise.

The device forming the subject-matter of this application comprises an annular (Fig. 5) chucksupporting body I, provided with any desired number of radial guides 2 (Figs. 2 and 8), wherein chuck carriers 3 are mounted for right-line reciprocation. Toothed chucks 4 (Figs. 2 and 9) are pivotally mounted at 5 on the inner endsof the chuck carriers 3 and because of their pivotal mounting, the chucks will grip a pipe section (8| of Fig. 2) properly, regardless of irregularities in the pipe.

Feed screws 6 (Figs. 2 and 8) are mountedrotatably, but held against endwise movement, in seats I formed in the body I. The feed screws 6 engage in threaded trough-shaped recesses 8 formed in the chuck carriers 3, and byro-tating the feed screws, the chuck carriers'3 and the chucks 4 may beadjusted in and out,'radially of the body I, until the pipe section 8| is gripped.

The chuck-supporting body I is received partially within an annular carrier 9 (Fig. 2) having a projecting rim II] which is extended about the body. An annular centering guide II (Figs. 5 and 2), made of" special bearing metal, is secured to the body I and is received in an" annular groove I4 formed in the carrier '9. That side of the carrier 9 which is opposite to the groove I4 is provided with an annular rib I5, the function of which will be made manifest hereinafter. The rib I5 shows best in Figs. 1, 3 and'4.

A sprocket whee1'I6 (Figs. 1 and 2), made in two pieces, is attached to theedge of the rib II) of the rotatable carrier 9 and extends into an annular groove. I8 formed in the periphery of the-body I, theconstruction being such that, by means of the sprocket wheel, the carrier.9 is connected to the body I for rotation with respect thereto.

chain 22, cooperating with a small driving sprocket wheel 23 (Fig. .1) secured to a shaft 24 mounted to rotate in an offsetbracket 25 (Figs. 1 and 5) attached to the edge of the body I. The shaft 24 may be power-rotated, by any suitable means, not shown in the drawings but accessible at the place'of use. I I

An under-cut guide plate 45 (Figs. 1, 2 and '7) is secured to the rotatable carrier 9, and on the guide plate, a slide 46 is mounted for right-line adjustment, radially of'the carrier 9. A post 48 extends through the guide plate 45 (Fig. 2) and is secured at 49 to the rotatable carrier 9. The post 48 extends outward into an elongated recess 3| in the slide 46. A feed screw 41 is located in the recess III, the inner end of the feed screw being threaded into the post 48 on the rotatable carrier 9, the feed screw being journaled in the outer end wall of the slide 46, and being held against longitudinal movement by collars 50 attached to the feed screw. 'Itmay be observed that, 'in my aforesaid application Serial No. 156,247, the slide 46 functions as a tool carriage, thatfunction, however, being something with which the present application has nothing to do, the slide 46, withal, having a function (to be brought out hereinafter) in the work-mounting and work-positioning machine constituting the 76 raison detre of the'case at bar,

an external thread 83. A), the pipe 8I' has what is commonly known in V respect The sprocket wheel I6 is engaged by asprocket 'provided with an internal thread 80. The jigs I2 and 11 have, each, a collar 260, provided with oppositely-disposed holes 20I.

The numeral 8| marks a pipe supplied at one end with a tapered pin 82 (Figs. 3 and 1), havin At its opposite end (Fig.

the art as a tapered box 84, supplied with an internal thread 85, the thread 85 on the box 84 of one pipe section being adaptedto cooperate with thethread as on the pin 82 of the next ad- 7 joining pipe section, a shoulder 81 around the pin 82 being adapted to abut against a shoulder 89 at the end of thebox 84, simultaneously with the grip of the pin thread 83 with the box thread 85. The shoulders 81 and 89 have to be dressed if they are to cooperate properly, and this invention supplies means for so positioning and holding either end of the pipe 8 I, that the aforesaid dressing may be accomplished properly.

Assuming that the shoulder is to be worked upon, as in Figs. 3 and 2, the pipe is laid down horizontally on horses (not shown). The body or jig support I and the jig-carrier 9 are slipped over the pipe. The pin 82 of the pipe is threaded into the jig IT. The arms I8 of the jig II areconnected to the carrier 9 by removable attaching elements 86, the rib I5 of the carrier 9 being received in the seats I9 in the arms 18 of A the jig 11, the securing elements, independently of the rib I5 and the seats I9, constituting means for centering the jig H with respect to the jig support I and the jig carrier 9. Thus the rotatable member 9 and the body I are centered with to the pipe BI. By means of the feed 6 of Fig, 2, the chuck carriers 6 and the screws V 30 81 of the pipe 8| chucks 4 are advanced until the chucks grip the pipe 8I. Thus the body I is coupled to the pipe 8I and the jig 11 can be takenoff, by removing.

the attaching elements 86 and rotating the jig TI. The member 9 rotates along with the jig 11 during this operation because of the interengaging parts 46 on the jig carrier 9 and I8 on the jig. The rotation of the. jig IT can be accomplished in two ways. A bar (not shown) may be inserted through theholes 20I on the collar 200 of the jig 11, the turning of the jig then being done by hand. Owing tothe size and weight of the parts, and to other conditions, a hand-turning of the jig I1 is not always the best mode of procedure, and the machine affords another means to the desired end.

Recalling that the screws 86 of Figs. 3 and 1 have been takenout, the jig I1 is capable of moving in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 3, and likewise is free to rotate with the carrier 9,

rotation being imparted to the jig 11, from the carrier, by a cooperation of parts to be explained hereinafter. The carrier 9 can rotate on the body I', the body being held to the pipe 8I-by the chucks 4. The operator moves the slide 46- (Fig. l) in or out on the" carrier 9,'by' means of the screw 41 (Fig. 2), until the inner portion of the slide is in a position to engage one of the arms 18 of the jig 11 when" the carrier 9 is rotated.

The carrier 9 can be power-rotated by means of the shaft 24 of Fig. 1, the sprocket wheel 23, the chain 22, and the sprocket wheel l6 of Figs. 1 and 2. When the carrier 9 is rotated, the slide 46 of Fig. 1 moves in an orbit, the inner portion of the slide engages one of the arms 18 of the jig H, the jig is rotated, and the jig is threaded off the pin 82 of the pipe BI, by power, and responsive to a degree of force that an operator cannot exert.

When the box end 84 of the pipe 8| is to be operated upon, the jig 12 of Fig. 4 may be employed, it being unnecessary to trace out the mounting of the jig 12, in view of what has been stated hereinbefore with respect to the jig 11.

It is not insisted that the attaching elements 86 of Figs. 3 and 4 be used to secure the jigs 12 and H to the rotatable member 9. For example, a clamp frame 88 and a screw 92 may be employed, as shown in Fig, 6. In Fig. 6, parts hereinbefore described have been designated by numerals already used, with the suffix a.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pipe-centering device, an annular jig support, pipe-gripping chucks mounted for rightline movement on the jig support, toward and away from the axis of the jig support, means under the control of an operator for imparting the aforesaid movement to the chucks, an annular rotatable carrier including a rim within which the jig support is received, a first sprocket wheel secured to the rim and cooperating with the jig support to hold the carrier on the jig support for rotation, a power-driven shaft journaled in the jig support, a second sprocket wheel on the shaft, a sprocket chain engaged with the sprocket wheels, a jig having arms, the jig and the carrier having detachably interengaged parts which center a pipe with respect to the chucks, the jig having a threaded portion for engagement with the thread of a pipe, means for securing the arms of the jig detachably to the carrier, a slide mounted to reciprocate on the carrier, and means under the control of an operator for adjusting the slide to a position in which it will engage one of the arms of the jig, when the carrier is rotated.

2. In a pipe-centering device, an annular jig support, a pipe-gripping means under the control of an operator and mounted for movement on the jig support, toward and away from the axis of the jig support, an annular rotatable carrier including a rim within which the jig support is received, a first sprocket wheel secured to the rim and cooperating with the jig support to hold the carrier on the jig support for rotation, a powerdriven shaft journaled in the jig support, a second sprocket Wheel on the shaft, a sprocket chain engaged with the sprocket wheels, a jig having arms, the jig and the carrier having detachably interengaged parts which center the jig with respect to the first-specified means, the jig having a threaded portion for engagement with the thread of a pipe, means for securing the arms of the jig detachably to the carrier, a slide mounted to reciprocate on the carrier, and means under the control of an operator for adjusting the slide to a position in which it will engage one of the arms of the jig, and unthread the jig from a pipe when the carrier is rotated.

3. In a pipementering device, an annular jig support, pipe-gripping means under the control of an operator and mounted for movement on the jig support, toward and away from the axis of the jig support, an annular rotatable carrier mounted on the jig support for rotation, a powerdriven shaft journaled in the jig support, means for rotating the carrier from the shaft, a jig having arms, the jig having a threaded portion for engagement with the thread of a pipe, means for securing the arms of the jig detachably to the carrier, a slide mounted to reciprocate on the carrier, and means under the control of an operator for adjusting the slide to a position in which it will engage one of the arms of the jig, when the carrier is rotated, and unthread the jig from a p p 4. In a pipe-centering device, an annular jig support, pipe-gripping means under the control of an operator and mounted for movement on the jig support, toward and away from the axis of the jig support, an annular rotatable carrier mounted on the jig support for rotation, powerdriven means for rotating the carrier, a jig having arms, the jig having a threaded portion for engagement with the thread of a pipe, means for securing the arms of the jig detachably to the carrier, a slide mounted to reciprocate on the carrier, and means under the control of an operator for adjusting the slide to a position in which it will engage one of the arms of the jig, when the carrier is rotated, and unthread the jig from a pipe.

5. In a pipe-centering device, an annular jig support, pipe-gripping means under the control of an operator and mounted for movement on the jig support, toward and away from the axis of the jig support, an annular rotatable carrier mounted on the body for rotation, power-driven means for rotating the carrier, a jig having arms, the jig having a threaded portion for engagement with the thread of a pipe, means for securing the arms of the jig detachably to the carrier, and movable means on the carrier and under the control of an operator for engaging one of the arms of the jig, when the carrier is rotated, to unthread the jig from a pipe.

6. In a pipe-centering device, an annular jig support, pipe-gripping chucks mounted for rightline movement on the jig support, toward and away from the axis of the jig support, means under the control of an operator for imparting the aforesaid movement to the chucks, an annular rotatable carrier including a rim within which the jig support is received, a first sprocket wheel secured to the rim and cooperating with the jig support to hold the carrier on the jig support for rotation, a power-driven shaft journaled in the jig support, a second sprocket wheel on the shaft, a sprocket chain engaged with the sprocket wheels, a jig having arms, the jig having a threaded portion for engagement with the thread of a pipe, means for securing the arms of the jig detachably to the carrier, and movable means on the carrier and under the control of an operator for engaging one of the arms of the jig, when the carrier is rotated, to unthread the jig from a pipe.

7. In a pipe-centering device, an annular jig support, pipe-gripping chucks mounted for rightline movement on the jig support, toward and away from the axis of the jig support, means under the control of an operator for imparting the aforesaid movement to the chucks, an annular rotatable carrier including a rim within which the jig support is received, a first sprocket wheel secured to the rim and cooperating with the jig support to hold the carrier on the jig support for rotation, power-driven means for rotating the carrier, a jig having arms, the jig and the carrier having detachably interengaged parts which center the jig with respect to the chucks, the jig having a threaded portion for engagement with the thread of a pipe, means for securing the arms of the jig detachably to the carrier, a slide mounted to reciprocate on the carrier, and movable means on the carrier and under the control of an operator for engaging one of the arms of the jig, when the carrier is rotated, to unthread the jig from a pipe.

8. In a pipe-centering device, an annular jig support, pipe-gripping means under the control of an operator and mounted for movement on the jig support, toward and away from the axis of the jig support, a rotatable jig carrier mounted to turn on the jig support, a jig having means for receiving a turning device, whereby the jig may be rotated, the jig having a threaded portion for engagement with the thread of a pipe, and means for securing the jig detachably to the carrier.

9. In a pipe centering device, a jig support, a jig carrier journaled on the support for rotation about the axis of the support, a jig, removable means for securing the jig to the carrier, and for centering the jig with respect to the jig support and the carrier, movable means on the support for centering a pipe with respect to the jig, the jig carrier and the jig, to enable the pipe to be threaded on the jig, interengaging parts on the jig and on the carrien'coacting to rotate the jig and unthreadit from a pipe when the. carrier is rotated and after said removable means has been'detached, said coacting part on the carrier being movable into'and out of the path of the corresponding coacting part of the jig, and mechanism for rotating the carrier.

-10. In a pipe centering device, the structure defined in claim 9, in combination with means for mounting said mechanism on the support.

FRANK MORGAN. g0 

